


If You Think You're Going Down

by Hockey_3720



Series: I Will Be Your Parachute [1]
Category: National Football League RPF
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Breakdown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 03:46:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14204349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hockey_3720/pseuds/Hockey_3720
Summary: “Dola? Buddy,” Julian said in practically a whisper.The big ball on the bed didn’t move, but there were a few sniffles coming from it. Julian sighed and moved in closer to the bed, where he sat at the edge. He looked over to notice Danny’s shirt and shorts balled upon the floor. “Danny.” Julian pulled back one layer of blankets.After a second a small voice came from the ball. “P-Please leave me alone.” Danny hiccupped and then there was silence again.





	If You Think You're Going Down

**Author's Note:**

> I have been working on this for like two weeks! I really hope y'all enjoy it! :)

“No! I can’t do this,” Danny yelled at one of the coaches. He shot up from the bench and held both his hands up in the air as if he was surrendering. 

The entire team stopped what they were doing and looked over toward the bench where the coach stood with his jaw dropped. Danny began to storm toward the locker room as Julian wiped the sweat from his forehead with his forearm. “What the hell?” Julian asked as he looked over to Gronk who was making his way toward him.

“Coach just sat down next to him and began to show him some different plays… He just… He did that,” Gronk informed as he stood there and looked toward the tunnel to the locker room, where Danny had just disappeared to. 

“That’s not like him,” Julian commented as he scrunched his eyebrows together and put his hands on his hips. His voice soaked with concern. Danny had never snapped on a coach before, even if they were wrong.

“I’ve never seen him like that before,” Rob agreed as he nodded his head. “Well, he’ll probably still be in there in like 15 minutes when practice is over.” 

Julian nodded in agreement and turned his attention back to the drills they were running. Once Bill made his last announcements about the next practice he set the guys loose. Julian instantly ran to the locker room in search of his best friend. When he got into the locker room he expected to find Danny sitting in his stall soaking in his own self-pity, but he wasn't there, nor were his street clothes. 

“Yo, where's Dola,” Gronk questioned after a few minutes as he approached Julian. 

“I have no clue man,” Julian replied as he shrugged his shoulders. “Did you see him in the gym? Or the showers? Actually… Shit… His stall is empty… So… He’s either outside or at home already. I’ll take a quick shower, pack up and then head to his place if he’s not outside.” 

Gronk only nodded before he got distracted by his phone. 

Jules quickly stripped off his sweaty clothes and made his way to the showers. He leaned forward and turned the shower on. After a few seconds, he moved under the stream of hot water and let his muscles relax. He couldn’t help but think of Danny. What had set him off? Why’s he leave so fast? He sighed as he shook his head and quickly grabbed a towel to wrap around his waist-- a proper shower could wait. He needed to find Danny. 

He jogged back into the locker room to quickly dress but was caught by Tom. “Hey man, you know what happened with Dola?” He asked as he continued to look down at the tablet in his hands. 

Julian shook his head as he pulled on a pair of briefs. “No, but I’m gonna head to his place now. I’ve never seen him go off on anyone like that.” 

Tom nodded. “Yeah. He just… He snapped. Somethings gotta be going on in his head. I’ll see you tomorrow. Let me know if he’s okay,” Tom requested as he looked up to see a now fully dressed Julian. 

“I will man,” Julian replied with a sigh as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll see ya at tomorrow's practice.” He quickly shuffled out of the locker room as he clicked on Danny’s contact and pressed call. After the first ring, he was sent to voicemail. “What the fuck Dola?” 

He sighed and pulled out his keys. He needed to get to Danny’s place. Lord could only imagine what was happening there. 

When he got to Danny’s, Julian pulled his phone out once again in hopes the older man would answer. “Danny,” Julian called as he hopped out of his car and began to approach the front door. He jogged up the front steps and hit the doorbell. He could hear it sounding off inside, but after a minute he shook his head and began knocking on the door with quite a bit of force. “Dola! You’re being so immature right now! Just open the fucking door!” 

Another minute passed and Danny had yet to come to answer the door, in fact, there was no sign of life within the house at all. “Fine you fucker,” Julian grumbled under his breath as he dug into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He quickly stuffed the key into the lock and unlocked the door. 

When he pushed the door opened he looked around the living room and kitchen with bewilderment on his face. “What the fuck man? It looks like this place has been robbed,” Julian mumbled to himself as he looked around the place-- cabinets were opened, magazines that were normally on the counter were on the floor, and the pillows in the living room were everywhere along with the blankets. 

“Dola!? Where you at man,” Julian called out again and began to make his way up the stairs. He instantly noticed that Danny’s door was closed. He shuffled over to the door and leaned forward to see if there was any noise coming from the room-- nothing. 

He knocked on the door and calmly said, “Dola? You in here?” After a second, he didn’t get a response so he grabbed the brass doorknob and pushed the door opened. He didn’t exactly know what he was expecting, but Julian definitely didn’t expect to see his best friend lying on the bed with what seemed like hundreds of covers over his small muscular body.

“Dola? Buddy,” Julian said in practically a whisper. 

The big ball on the bed didn’t move, but there were a few sniffles coming from it. Julian sighed and moved in closer to the bed, where he sat at the edge. He looked over to notice Danny’s shirt and shorts balled upon the floor. “Danny.” Julian pulled back one layer of blankets. 

After a second a small voice came from the ball. “P-Please leave me alone.” Danny hiccupped and then there was silence again.

Julian sighed. “Danny. Come on man. What’s wrong? You scared everyone at practice today. You’ve never done that before,” Julian mumbled as he pulled back another layer. Nothing was said so he pulled back another layer. And then another. Then, there was just a sheet covering his best friend’s body. 

He could see Danny’s curled up body through the white sheet. Danny’s head was practically tucked between his knees-- Julian cringed, that couldn’t be comfortable. He placed a hand on Danny’s bicep, which made Danny flinch a bit. “P-Please.” 

Julian sucked in a shaky breath, he hated to see anyone-- but more importantly his best friend-- like this. “Jules… Just…” 

Julian didn’t know what to do. Was he supposed to give Danny the benefit of the doubt? Or was he supposed to intervene? “Just… Dola,” Julian’s voice sounded broken as he looked down at the bundle Danny was still in. “No. I need to make sure you’re okay. What’s wrong? You can tell me anything.” 

There were a few more sniffles from Danny before he moved a bit. His puffy red eyes just peeked over the sheet so he could look up at Julian. As they locked eyes, Julian’s heart nearly shattered. He adjusted his hold on Danny and squeezed his bicep a bit harder. 

Danny sucked in a deep breath. “I just… I can’t, Jules. I’ve had enough… Too much… Too much bullshit. I’m done. I can’t do it. I’m just… I’m not good enough anymore. I’m sorry.” Danny’s eyes became watery and tears pulled from them. 

Julian could feel his own eyes getting wet. “D-Dola… Danny… You could… You’ll always be good enough,” he sucked in his own shaky breath. “I-I… When the going gets tough… You just… You’re always a fighter. Know that. Know that you mean so much to our team. Coach was just trying to help you.” 

“I can’t anymore, Jules. I just can’t I’ve dropped so many balls in the past 3 weeks. I’m sorry. I- I… I don’t mean to do it,” Danny began to lose control of his breath. He couldn’t speak anymore. 

Julian’s hand left Danny as he began to wipe his tears away. He moved to lie on his side and pulled Danny into him. As tears began to fall from his eyes he nuzzled his face in the crook of Danny’s neck. “Please don’t feel that way, Dola. We all need you. Don’t feel that way.” 

Danny’s didn’t say anything, but his body began to shake against Julian’s, and Julian knew Danny was sobbing again.

**Author's Note:**

> Should I make this a two part series? Let me know in the comments! Thank you!


End file.
